Indo-Australian feline sharks [1] ( lat. Hemiscyllium ) - a genus of sharks of the family of Asian feline sharks of the Wobbegong species . They are found in tropical latitudes, in the shallow water of the Indo-Pacific region. The genus includes 9 species. These are small sharks, the length of which does not exceed 121 cm. They have an elongated cylindrical body, short antennae and large splashes . These slow predators feed on bottom invertebrates and small bony fishes . Despite the fact that they are often kept in aquariums, biology is poorly understood. At least some species reproduce by laying eggs embedded in oval egg capsules at the bottom. Of interest to commercial aquariums [2] .
| Indo-Australian Cat Sharks |
Hemiscyllium ocellatum |
| Scientific classification |
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| No rank : | Bilateral symmetrical |
| Gender: | Indo-Australian Cat Sharks |
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| International scientific name |
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Hemiscyllium JP Müller & Henle, 1837 |
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The name of the family and clan comes from the words dr. ἡμι- - "semi-" and others. Greek. Σκύλλα - “shark” [3] .
Content
These sharks have a rather short snout; the pre-oral distance is less than 3% of the body length. Eyes and periorbital ridges raised. The nostrils are located at the tip of the snout. They are framed by short antennae, the length of which is less than 1.3% of the body length. The mouth is slightly shifted to the tip of the snout, and not to the eyes. The lower labial folds do not connect on the chin with a skin fold. The pre-gill distance is less than 13% of the body length. The distance between the anus and the beginning of the base of the anal fin is over 38% of the body length. The pectoral and ventral fins are thick and muscular. The number of vertebrae of the axial skeleton is usually over 180 and reaches 195. Above the pectoral fins there are large dark clearly defined marks.
